Former United captain Bruce, who has guided Hull to Premier League safety and
the FA Cup Final this season, insists that Van Gaal will not have it easy
when he finally take charge of the fallen champions

Hard job: Louis van Gaal will have to find a way of replacing United's many veteran playersPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

Steve Bruce has warned Louis van Gaal he faces a huge task rebuilding Manchester United once he is confirmed as David Moyes’s successor as manager at Old Trafford.

Van Gaal, the Holland coach, is expected to be named as United manager this week and could be announced as early as Tuesday should negotiations be finalised.

Interim manager Ryan Giggs will continue to take charge of the team for Tuesday’s Old Trafford encounter with Hull City, with the Welshman’s future under Van Gaal currently uncertain.

And former United captain Bruce, who has guided Hull to Premier League safety and the FA Cup Final this season, insists that Van Gaal will not have it easy when he finally take charge of the fallen champions.

“Everybody is saying it is going to be Van Gaal and the guy has a fantastic record in management,” Bruce said. “And when he gets it, he will be taking charge of a fantastic club.

“I had 10 years there and even now, 15 years after I left, I still letters from people asking about my time there.

“It is a global club and a really big job and whoever comes in is going to have to live up to the standards set by the former boss [Sir Alex Ferguson].

“It is a hard job, though, because time catches up with everybody and that is there to see with the players in United’s back four.

“Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have been United’s back four for almost 10 years and how do you replace them?

“No matter how many millions you have, it is not going to be easy to find players to come in and replace them.

“In Vidic and Ferdinand alone, you have two centre-halves with years of experience that you just cannot find easily.”

Despite the inevitability of Van Gaal’s appointment, Bruce believes that Giggs has the temperament to become a top manager at United in the future.

The pair played alongside each other at Old Trafford when United won their first Premier League title in 1992-93 and Bruce admits that he was quick to speak to Giggs when he took charge on a temporary basis.

“I spoke to Ryan 10 days ago,” Bruce said. “I wished him good luck and welcomed him to the crazy side of the game.

“If he gets the job or not, you have to remember that Ryan has been at United all his life and he has never been fazed by anything.”